A binder is used to hold together a collection of loose sheets of paper, such as office documents and files, for organized storage. A binder is generally composed of a folder or cover and a binding mechanism that binds the collected pages and facilitates the addition and removal of the pages. Binding mechanisms may include: clips, lever clips, compression bars, latches, binding rings, lever arches, and clamps. Clips and lever clips operate by applying spring pressure on the collected pages, where the pages need not be modified or adapted in any way to enable their binding. Opening the clip to release the applied pressure allows for appending new pages or the removal of existing pages. Other types of binding mechanisms require the pages to be perforated beforehand, most notably with binding rings, in which the rings pass through the holes in the pages to bind them together. Binding rings are found in ring binders, such as the common three-ring binder which is widely used in North America. Binders come in many forms, shapes and sizes. Binders may be adapted to collect only certain types or sizes of paper (e.g., Letter size, Legal size, A4, and the like), and may include a variable number of binding elements (e.g., two-ring binders, three-ring binders, and the like). Many binders may also include additional features or accessories, such as pockets or cases for holding various writing utensils and other office supplies.
A perforator, also known as a hole puncher or a paper puncher, is a device used to perforate or form holes in a sheet of paper, to enable the paper to be collected into a binder. A perforator usually includes some type of lever that is maneuvered to force at least one bladed cylinder through at least one sheet of paper. The perforator may also include guides that are utilized to align the paper prior to its perforation, to ensure that the holes are set at the desired locations (i.e., to define the margin and separation distances). The perforator may also include some type of container for collecting the perforations (i.e., the punched paper fragments). Perforators also come in many forms, shapes and sizes. Similarly, perforators may be adapted to perforate only certain types or sizes of paper, may be adapted to perforate through a limited number of pages simultaneously (e.g., up to 20 pages, up to 40 pages, and the like), and may include variable number of perforating elements (e.g., two-hole punchers, three-hole punchers, and the like).
Various assemblies known in the art are adapted to combine the functionality of a binder with the functionality of a perforator. One such example can be found in French Patent No. 462,887 to Demignot, entitled: “Perfectionment à la commande des poinçons de perforateurs pouvant s'adapter à toutes les mécaniques de classeurs àlevier”. Another example is disclosed by German Patent No. 1,129,455 to Seyffer, entitled “Aufreihvorrichtung für Briefordner mit einer Lochvorrichtung”.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,623,824 to Bondeson et al., entitled: “Combined Punch and File”, discloses a device adapted to form holes in index cars and also file the index cards. The device includes a base, vertical pins, inverted U-shaped members, a pair of dies, and a pair of hollow posts. The vertical pins are arranged on the base to form a file. The dies are mounted in recesses at the rear of the base, behind respective vertical pins, and the posts are arranged directly over respective dies. The inverted U-shaped member extends from a vertical pin at one end and through a hollow post at the other end. The lower end of the U-shaped member arm, together with the respective die below, forms a punch, operative to punch hole in index cards placed directly over the dies, by pressing down on the U-shaped member. An arm of the U-shaped member may be disengaged from the upper end of the respective pin, enabling the punched cards to be placed onto the pins for filing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,793 to Wyant, entitled “Binder with Hole Punch”, is directed to a binder for receiving and retaining loose papers. The binder includes a cover, a binding mechanism, and a hole punch mechanism. The binding mechanism is coupled to the inner surface of the cover at the center, and the hole punch mechanism is coupled to the inner surface of the cover at an outer edge. The binding mechanism may include three openable binding rings evenly spaced apart. The hole punch mechanism includes a movable handle having a set of protrusions on a lower surface, and a base having a set of recesses aligned with the protrusions on an upper surface. A paper is placed between the base and opened handle, and then the handle is closed so that the protrusions meet the respective recesses, thereby punching a set of holes in the paper. The protrusions and recesses are arranged so that the spacing of the holes corresponds to the spacing of the binding rings. The binder may further include a receptacle with a lid at an opposite outer edge of the inner surface of the cover, for holding loose items.
G.B. Patent No. 07491 to Witte et al, entitled “Improvements in Loose-leaf Binders”, is directed to a loose-leaf binder combined with a perforator and with yokes associated with file pins. The yokes and the perforator are simultaneously movable by means of a lever. The yokes are fixed to short vertical rods terminating in punches. The rods are connected to each other by a plate that is bent to form a channel. The lever is pivoted to a vertical supporting plate, and includes at one end a roller bevelled to fit the channel. The punches are movable along sockets in the supporting plate. When the lever is raised, the yokes are opened and the punches are retracted away from the plate. When the lever is lowered, the yokes are closed and the punches are depressed against the plate to perforate a document.
European Patent No. 1,985,422 to MAPED, entitled “Paper punch with centering device”, discloses a punch that has two piercers movably mounted relative to a base, and a pallet shaped activation lever for simultaneously displacing the piercers relative to the base. Symmetrical notches are provided at a longitudinal rear edge of the base for positioning the base relative to rings of a binder, such that the base is applied through exterior in a predetermined position against the rings. A center distance of the rings corresponds to a predetermined center distance of the piercers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,907 to Hymmen, entitled “Paper Punch”, is directed to a hand-operated paper punch formed with molded parts which interfit for easy and rapid assembly and disassembly. A handle hooks under a wall of the base. Depressing the handle forces downward a transverse bar recessed to accept the upper ends of the male punch elements, which are spring-biased to travel with the transverse bar. The punch elements reciprocate within a die bar detachably connected to the base. The die bar is formed with a throat for insertion of papers to be punched. The front edge of the base is formed with a transverse groove to accept a male binder element during assembly of a book comprised of the punched paper.
PCT International Application Publication No. WO 2007/129103 to Kaushal, entitled “File”, discloses a file for storage of paper, comprising a front face and a rear face connected along a spine edge, a retention means for paper sheets upstanding from the rear face, and a flap attached to a free edge of the front face opposed to the spine edge. The inner faces of the flap and the front face have cooperative means, such as a pair of opposed rigid plates, defining a hole punch for paper sheets.